Rail joint



D. R. 'RICHARDS RAIL JOINT Aug. 23, 1927..

Patented Aug. 23, 1927.

',.UNITED STATES DAVID mins RICHARDS,

PATENT OFFICE.

0F 'S'.l. LOUIS, MISSOURI.

' RAIL JOINT.

Applicationk iled December T he object of my present lnvention is toprovide arail joint which will prevent the adjacent ends of two opposedrails from up and down movement with relation to each i other and tokeep the head surface of the rails in aplane'ivhile the wheels of anengine and cars are approaching and leaving theV joint;therebyeliminating the low and high joint. Y -4v l a. a

A further` object of` the. invention is to provide a rail joint whichwill prevent iish plate boltsjfrom wearing the holesin'the fish platesWhichnow canse loose joints.

A still furtherobject of the invention is to provide a space ykeydisposed in opposed lend slots in the web of two opposed rails toprevent up and down displacement .of the ends of the rails from anycause. y A

A still further object Aof the invention is to provide means to vpreventdisplacement of the tie-key. Y Y n l A further object of the invention.isthe provisionof a rail joint which will possess advantagesin points ofsimplicityand eiiiciency, and, at the same time prove itselfcomparatively inexpensivek in manufacture.'

wWith the above and other objects in view, the invention consists in thenovel features of construction, arrangement and combination of partshereinafter more fully described and finally pointed out in the claimshereto appended.

Referring to the accompanying drawings forming a part of thisspecification wherein like characters of reference denote similar partsthroughout the several views:

Fig. 1, is a perspective view of two rails disposed end to end andequipped with a rail joint embodying the features of my invention.

Fig. 2, is a perspective view of two opposed rails disposed end to endshowing the end slots therein.

Fig. 3, is a sectional view taken on lin 3-3 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4L, is a perspective view of the tie-key.

Fig. 5, is a perspective view of the tie-key washer. Y

Referring to the drawings, the reference pun'ierals 1 and 2 designateties while 3 and i designate two opposed rails laid end to end thereonin the usual manner.

15,1925. Serial No. 75,515.

Eaclrof the rails 3 and i is provided atr l each end with a slot 5 inthe web 6 thereof.v

Each slot 5 has an open end communicating v with the end face of the web6. These slots 5 when the ends of the rails are confronting each other,form a single transverse slotted opening 7, as .clearly shown in Fig. 2.i

The numeral 8 designates a pair of fish plates each being provided witha slotted opening 9. .When these plates 8 are fixed to the side faces ofthe webs of the rails by v means of the usual bolts 10, they slottedopenings 9v of the. fish plates 8 register with the slotted opening 7 ofthe opposed rails `1 .and 2,. as clearly shown in Fig. 3.

Positionedwithin the slot-ted openings 7 and 9 of the rail websand ishplates, re-

spectively, is a splice Ykey 11,'which spans vthe yjoint space between.theV opposed rails 3 and 4. v Y l The splice key 11 is provided with avided at its opposite end'with an extended screw threaded stud 13. Y

The reference numeral 14 designates a washer having a slotted opening 15for reflanged or T-head 12 at one end and'is proceiving the studded endof the splice key 11,.

as shown in Figs. 1 and 3. The washer 14 is provided upon its outer facewith a pair of suitable opposed bosses 15, as shown in Fig. 5, againstwhich a nut 16 clamps, which nut is carried by the screw threaded stud13 of .the splice key4 11, as shown in Figs. 1 and 3 `for securing thesplice key against displacement. f

To further insure against possible dis-- placement of the splice key, Iprovide the key with a pair of vertically disposed openings 17 whichreceive suitable Cotter pins 18. These pins can beused with or withoutthe securing nut 16, as desired. The use of either the nut 16, or thecotter pins 18, or both, it is manifest, will secure the splice keyagainst lateral displacement.

From the foregoing description, it is evident that I provide a railjoint which will positively prevent the up and down movement of theconfronting ends of two .adjacent rails independent of each other due tothe use of the splice key 11 passing through the slotted openings in thewebs of the rails even should the bolt openings in the fish plates beslightly worn or enlarged. Both ends of the rails must yield togetherunder a load thereon by the use of mty splice key 11 which unites therails at the joint of two confronting rails thereby providing a railbond which is strong and durable, highly efiicient and one which guardsagainst loose rail joints without the use ot' a joint tie or the use ofrail plates.

The many advantages of the herein described invention will readilysuggest themselves to those skilled in the art to which it appertains.

Ido not wishto be understood as having limited myself to the exactdetails of construction shown and described, but desire to have itunderstood that the invention I have shown in the drawings is merelyillustrative, as it is manifest that various minor changes may be madein the exact construction and arrangement of parts without departingfrom the spirit ot my invention, hence I reserve the right to make anysuch changes, or modications as may fairly fall within the scope of theappended claims when fairly v construed.

What I claim is:

l. In a rail joint construction, a pair of rails each having theconfronting end of its web provided with an open ended slot in registervwith the other, a pair of fish plates secured to the rails and eachprovided with a slotted opening in register with the slots in the railwebs', a splice key receivable in said slots to hold the rails in truealignment, a lwasher having a slotted'opening mounted upon one end ofthe splice key, a pair of spaced bosses directed from the outer face ofthe washer and disposed above and below the slotted opening, a head :torone end ofv the splice key, a screw threaded shank extending from theopposite end of the splice key and a securing nut carried by said screwthreaded shank and engaging said bosses for securing the splice key inposition.

In a rail joint construction, a pair of rails each having theconfronting end of its web provided with an open ended slot in registerwith the other, a pair of fish plates secured to the rails and eachprovided with a slotted opening in register with the slots'in the railwebs, a splice key receivable in said slots to hold the rails in truealignment, a washer having a slotted opening mounted upon one end of thesplice key, a pair of spaced bosses directed from the outer face or thewasher and disposed above and below the slotted opening, a head for oneend of the splice key, a screw threaded shank extending from theopposite end of the splice key,

a securing nut carried by said screw threaded shank and engaging saidbosses and cotter keys carried by said splice key on opposite sides ofsaid bosses.

3. A rail fastening adapted to secure the confronting ends of adjacentrails, said rails each having the end of its web portion provided withan open ended slot, lish plates secured to the webs of the rails, saidish plates having slotted openingsv therein in register with the slotsin the webs or' the rails, a splice key receivable in the slottedopenings of the nsh plates and the slots of the rails, a head for saidsplice key, a washer mounted upon one end or' the splice key .andengaging one ot the lish plates, a pair of bosses directed from saidwasher, a screw threaded stud extending lfrom the splice key andextending beyond said bosses, a nut carried by said screw threaded studand engaging the bosses of said washer for securing the splice keyagainst displacement and a pair of cotter pins carried by the spliceplate on opposite sides of the bosses of said washer.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto signed my name to thespeciiication.

' DAVID BEES RICHARDS.

